DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS I

(MATH 251)

F.A Wireko, PhD

Department Of Mathematics

Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science and Technology

February 7, 2023

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 1 / 10
 SEVENTH LECTURE

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 2 / 10
 Integrating Factors for Non - Exact Equations

Let
M(x, y )dx + N(x, y )dy = 0 (1)
be non-exact. We need to ensure that the differential equation is exact.
To do this, we multiply (1) by an appropriate factor

µ = µ(x, y ) (2)

called an Integrating factor, which is a function of x and y . To obtain :

µM(x, y )dx + µN(x, y )dy = 0 (3)

and expect it to be exact. Then for (3) to be exact then :

∂(µM) ∂(µN)
= (4)
∂y ∂x

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 3 / 10
 Cont...

Applying the Product rule,

∂M ∂µ ∂N ∂µ
µ+M =µ +N (5)
∂y ∂y ∂x ∂x
 
∂µ ∂µ ∂N ∂M
=⇒ M −N =µ − (6)
∂y ∂x ∂x ∂y
Simply put
Mµy − Nµx = µ(Nx − My )
Sometimes an integrating factor may be found by inspection, and
recognizing a certain group as being part of an exact differential. The ff
tabulates possible terms and their respective integrating factors and the
exact equations they produce :

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 4 / 10
 Cont...

Group of Terms Integrating Factor Exact differential

xdy −ydx
ydx − xdy - x12 x2
= d( yx )
1 ydx−xdy
ydx − xdy y2 y2
= d( yx )
xdy −ydx
ydx − xdy 1
xy xy = d(ln yx )
xdy −ydx
ydx − xdy 1
- x 2 +y 2 xy = d(arctan yx )
1 ydx+xdy
ydx + xdy xy xy = d(ln(x, y ))
 
1 ydx+xdy −1
ydx + xdy (xy )n , n>1 (xy )n = d (n−1)(xy )n−1

aydx + bxdy x a−1 y b−1 x a−1 y b−1 (aydx + bxdy ) = d(x a y b )

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 5 / 10
 Some Important Rules For Integrating Factor

M −N
1 Assume µ = µ(x) =⇒ ∂µ ∂y = µy = 0, then µx = dx =
dµ y
N
x
,
which
R is a function of x alone, call this function ξ(x). Then µ(x) =
ξ(x)dx
e is an integrating factor of (41)
∂µ dµ My −Nx
2 Assume µ = µ(y ) =⇒ ∂x = 0, then µy = dy = −M , which is a
R
ψ(y )dy
function of y alone, call this function ψ(y ). Then ψ(y ) = e is
an integrating factor of (41)
∂M ∂N 1
3 If ∂x + ∂y ̸= 0, then µ(x, y ) = ∂M
+ ∂N
, is the integrating factor of
∂x ∂y
(41)

4 If M(x, y )dx + N(x, y )dy = 0 can be written in the form yg (x, y )dx
1
+ xh(x, y )dy = 0 where h(x, y ) ̸= g (x, y ), then µ(x, y ) = xM−yN

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 6 / 10
 Some Observations For Finding Integrating Factors

1 If a first-order differential equation contains the combination

xdy + ydy = 21 d(x 2 + y 2 ) try some function x 2 + y 2 as a multiplier.

2 If a first-order differential equation contains the combination

xdy + ydx = d(x, y ), try some function xy as a multiplier.

3 If a first-order differential equation contains the combination

xdy − ydx, try x12 or y12 as a multiplier. If neither of these works, then
1 1
xy or x 2 +y 2 or some function of these expressions, as an integrating
xdy −ydx xdy −ydx
factor, remember that dtan−1 ( yx ) = xy and tan−1 ( yx ) = x 2 +y 2

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 7 / 10
 Example

Solve the differential equation

dy
(3xy + y 2 ) + (x 2 + xy ) =0
dx

Solution : M(x, y ) = 3xy + y 2 , N(x, y ) = x 2 + xy

My = 3x + 2y and Nx = 2x + y , Clearly, ∂M ∂y ̸=
∂N
∂x , therefore the
differential equation is not exact. Involving

Mµy − Nµx = µ(Nx − My ).

Let µ be a function of x alone, that is µ = µ(x).

M y − Nx 3x + 2y − (2x + y ) 1
ξ(x) = = 2
=
N x + xy x

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 8 / 10
 Cont...

1
R R
ξ(x)dx dx
µ(x) = e =e x = e lnx = x
Multiplying µ(x) = x through the differential equation we obtain:

dy
(3x 2 y + xy 2 ) + (x 3 + x 2 y ) =0
dx
which is a new equation in the same form i.e M(x, y ) + N(x, y )y’ = 0

M(x, y ) = (3x 2 y + xy 2 ); N(x, y ) = (x 3 + x 2 y )

My = 3x 2 + 2xy ; Nx = 3x 2 + 2xy
which is exact. Let fx = 3x 2 y + xy 2 . Integrating:
Z
1
f (x, y ) = (3x 2 y + xy 2 )dx = x 3 y + x 2 y 2 + ψ(y )
2

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 9 / 10
 Cont...

Find the derivative w.r.t y and equating with N(x, y ) we obtain

=⇒ fy = x 3 + x 2 y ψ ′ (y ) = x 3 + x 2 y

ψ ′ (y ) = 0 =⇒ ψ(y ) = c
Finally
1
x 3y + x 2y 2 = c
2

F.A Wireko, PhD Department Of Mathematics

DIFFERENTIAL
Kwame Nkrumah
EQUATIONS
University
I (MATH
Of Science
251)and Technology
February 7, 2023 10 / 10